Mark Scheme

Question 1 — Christian Beliefs

(a) (up to 2) Any two beliefs, 1 each: God is omnipotent (all-powerful); omniscient (all-knowing); omnibenevolent (all-loving); the creator; one God in three persons (the Trinity); eternal. [2]

(b) (up to 5) Beliefs about Jesus: Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God / God incarnate; he was crucified (died on the cross), which Christians believe was a sacrifice for the sins of humanity (atonement); he rose from the dead on the third day (the resurrection), showing his victory over death and offering the hope of eternal life. Range of accurate, developed points. Levels: 5 = full and accurate; 3–4 = several points; 1–2 = limited. [5]

(c) (up to 8) Explanation with teaching of why life after death matters:

• It gives Christians hope that death is not the end and that they will be with God.
• The belief is based on Jesus's resurrection, which Christians see as proof of life after death.
• It links to belief in judgement, heaven and hell — how a person lives affects their afterlife, encouraging moral behaviour.
• It provides comfort in grief. Award up to 8 for a developed explanation using more than one reason and reference to teaching (e.g. "I am the resurrection and the life"). Levels apply. [8]

(d) (up to 15) Levels-marked evaluation.

• Level 4 (13–15): Well-structured evaluation with developed arguments on both sides, supported by specific Christian teaching, using specialist terms; a clear, justified conclusion.
• Level 3 (9–12): Reasoned arguments on both sides with some religious reference; a conclusion reached.
• Level 2 (5–8): Some relevant arguments, limited support or one-sided.
• Level 1 (1–4): Simple/general points. Indicative content — support: belief in God is the foundation of the faith; without it the other beliefs and practices have no basis; the first commandment. Other view: being a Christian is also about action — following Jesus's example, loving others, worship and prayer; faith without works is "dead"; some argue how you live matters as much as belief. Credit a supported conclusion.

Question 2 — Christian Practices

(a) (up to 2) Any two: prayer; attending church services; singing hymns; reading the Bible; communion/Eucharist; private/informal worship (1 each). [2]

(b) (up to 5) In a baptism: the person (a baby, or an adult believer) is brought to church; water is used — either poured/sprinkled on the head (infant baptism) or the person is fully immersed (believer's baptism); it is carried out in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; promises are made (by parents/godparents or the believer) to follow the Christian faith; it symbolises welcome into the Church and the washing away of sin. Range of accurate, developed points. [5]

(c) (up to 8) Explanation with teaching of why charity/helping others matters:

• Jesus taught his followers to "love your neighbour" and to help those in need (e.g. the parable of the Good Samaritan; "whatever you did for the least of these... you did for me").
• Christians believe all people are made in the image of God and should be treated with love.
• Helping others is seen as putting faith into action ("faith without works is dead") and following Jesus's example.
• Many Christians support charities (e.g. through the church) as part of their duty. Award up to 8 for a developed explanation using more than one reason and teaching. Levels apply. [8]

(d) (up to 15, including 3 marks for SPaG/specialist terms) Levels-marked evaluation as for 1(d). Indicative content — support: church is a place of communal worship, teaching and fellowship; sacraments such as communion take place there; it strengthens faith and community. Other view: faith can be shown through daily life and actions — helping others, prayer at home, living by Christian values — and God is not only found in a building; some cannot attend church but are still devout. Credit a justified conclusion. Apply SPaG bands: high (3) = accurate spelling/punctuation and confident use of specialist terms; intermediate (2); threshold (1).

Sample Answers with Examiner Commentary

Question 1(c) — Sample Answers

Grade A response. "Belief in life after death is very important to many Christians for several reasons. Firstly, it gives them hope: they believe that death is not the end and that they will live on with God, which is a great comfort, especially when a loved one dies. This belief is based above all on the resurrection of Jesus, who Christians believe rose from the dead on the third day — Jesus even said, 'I am the resurrection and the life.' Because Jesus conquered death, Christians believe they too can have eternal life. Secondly, the belief is linked to judgement: Christians believe that God will judge how they have lived, and that this affects whether they go to heaven. This encourages them to live good, moral lives and to follow Jesus's teachings. So belief in life after death shapes both how Christians feel about death and how they choose to live."

Mark: 8/8. Examiner commentary: A top-band answer. It gives more than one developed reason — hope and comfort, the foundation in Jesus's resurrection, and the link to judgement and moral living — and, crucially for this level, supports the explanation with specific Christian teaching (the resurrection; "I am the resurrection and the life"). The reasons are explained rather than merely listed, and the final sentence draws them together to show why the belief matters both emotionally and morally. Precise reference to scripture is exactly what lifts an 8-mark "explain" answer to full marks.

Grade C response. "Life after death is important to Christians because they believe in heaven and they want to go there when they die. It makes them feel better about dying because they think they will see God."

Mark: 4/8. Examiner commentary: The candidate identifies two valid ideas — the hope of heaven and comfort about death — which places the answer in the middle of the range. However, the explanation is thin and there is no reference to Christian teaching. To reach the higher levels the answer needs development: linking the belief to Jesus's resurrection (with a teaching such as "I am the resurrection and the life"), and to the idea of judgement and how it encourages moral living. Adding specific teaching and developing each reason would move this answer up several marks.

Question 2(d) — Sample Answers

Grade A response (extract). "Some Christians would strongly agree that going to church is the best way to show their faith. Church is where the community worships together, where they hear teaching and take part in sacraments such as communion, which Jesus instructed his followers to do ('do this in remembrance of me'). Being part of a church community strengthens faith and allows Christians to support one another, so for many it is central to their religious life.

However, others would disagree. They would argue that true faith is shown mainly through how a person lives — by loving their neighbour, helping those in need and following Jesus's example every day, not just on a Sunday. The Bible teaches that 'faith without works is dead', which suggests that actions matter as much as attendance. Some Christians are unable to go to church because of illness or where they live, yet are deeply devout, praying and living by Christian values at home.

In conclusion, while going to church is a valuable and important way to express faith, I do not think it is the single best way, because faith is ultimately shown through a person's whole life and actions, not only through attending a service. A Christian who lives out their beliefs every day arguably shows their faith more fully than one who only attends church."

Mark: 14/15 (including strong SPaG). Examiner commentary: A Level 4 answer. Both sides are developed with specific Christian teaching (communion and "do this in remembrance of me" for; "faith without works is dead" against), and the conclusion is genuinely justified, engaging directly with the word "best" in the statement. Specialist terms ("sacraments", "communion") are used accurately and the writing is well organised with secure spelling and punctuation, earning the SPaG marks. It falls just short of full marks because one more specific example on the "for" side would balance the strong "against" argument.

Question 2(b) — Sample Answers

Grade A response. "During a Christian baptism, the person being baptised is brought to the church, often to a font. In infant baptism, which many churches practise, the priest pours or sprinkles holy water over the baby's head, while in believer's baptism, practised by some churches such as Baptists, the person is fully immersed in a pool of water. In either case the baptism is carried out 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'. Promises are made — by the parents and godparents on behalf of a baby, or by the believer themselves — to reject sin and follow the Christian faith. The water symbolises the washing away of sin and welcome into the Christian Church."

Mark: 5/5. Examiner commentary: A top-band answer that shows detailed and accurate knowledge. The candidate distinguishes the two main forms — infant baptism (pouring/sprinkling) and believer's baptism (full immersion) — which demonstrates breadth, and includes the key elements: the water, the Trinitarian formula, the promises made, and the symbolism of washing away sin and joining the Church. This range of accurate, well-organised detail is exactly what a 5-mark "describe" question rewards.

Grade C response. "In a baptism the baby is taken to church and the priest puts water on its head. It means the baby becomes a Christian. Everyone watches and there might be a party afterwards."

Mark: 2/5. Examiner commentary: The candidate correctly describes the basic action of infant baptism — water on the head in church — and knows it is linked to becoming a Christian, earning two marks. However, the description is limited to one form of baptism and omits key details: the Trinitarian formula ("in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit"), the promises made by parents and godparents, and the symbolism of washing away sin. Mentioning full immersion (believer's baptism) would also add breadth. The comment about a party is not creditable religious content. More accurate detail would raise the mark.